19Feb              DOD announces that 83,000 sorties have been flown (2,800 today) continuing
                         the execution of air campaign objectives. 870 sorties have been flown
                         in the KTO, 100 sorties against the Republican Guard, and 130 sorties
                         against SCUD sites.
                   A Navy A-6 attacked and destroyed five aircraft hidden in revetments in
                         western Iraq. Other naval forces continued to support the air cam-
                         paign and conduct maritime interceptions and mine countermeasures.
                         A minefield containing an estimated 22 mines was discovered and cor-
                         doned off in the northern Arabian Gulf. To-date, 153 mines discov-
                         ered. USS BEAUFORT (ATS-2), and Naval Reserve minesweeper
                         escort USS ADROIT (MSO 509) maneuvered through an uncharted
                         mine field to reach USS PRINCETON.
                   USS TRIPOLI is operating fully mission-capable in the northern Arabian
                         Gulf with damage control efforts stemming minor flooding. USS
                         PRINCETON has a cracked superstructure, a jammed port rudder
                         and leaking port shaft seal. With USS ADROIT at the point marking
                         mines, ship is proceeding to port, towed by USS BEAUFORT, for
                         detailed inspection. DOD says USS TRIPOLI hit a moored or float-
                         ing mine, USS PRINCETON hit 2 influence mines.
                   USMC and coalition ground forces engage Iraqis in border skirmishes,
                         probes and reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance deployments.
                         Marines exchange artillery fire with Iraqis, no casualties.
                   DOD states for the first time that U.S. ground forces "are now ready to go to
                         combat if the leadership decides that's what they want to do"; asserts
                         that ground troops will face a seriously-attrited although still-capable
                         Iraqi force which "will be defeated in short order if we initiate a
                         ground campaign."
                   DOD announces that 578 Iraqis have surrendered and are in Turkey's cus-
                         tody. Combined with 1,493 in Saudi Arabian custody, enemy prison-
                         ers of war to-date total 2,071.
                   Citing photographs and imagery evidence, DOD accuses Iraq of faking bomb
                         damage at the Al Basrah Mosque to make it appear that U.S. bombs
                         damaged the religious site.
                   Iraqi SCUD missile is fired at Israel, impacts with no injuries. 68th SCUD
                         launched to-date.

20 Feb             AtD+35. DOD announces that 86,000 sorties have been flown (2,900 today),
                         striking and restriking strategic targets, interdicting resupply, battle-
                         field preparation (900 sorties in the KTO), destruction of Republican
                         Guards (100 sorties), and counter-SCUD strikes (100 sorties).
                   Naval forces conduct air strikes and continue mine counter measures, mari-
                         time intercepts, and naval gunfire assignments. USS AMERICA's Air
                         Anti-Submarine Squadron 32 becomes first S-3 squadron ever to
                         engage and destroy a hostile vessel, an Iraqi gunboat hit by three 500-
                         pound bombs. USS VALLEY FORGE (CG-50) vectored S-3 to target.
                   Significant increase in contacts between U.S. forces. including Marines. and


                                           A-35

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